Like a Moth to a Flame
by Mansi jain
Summary: Harry loves Draco. But she is married to Theodore Nott. When he realizes that Draco's marriage is sham, he comes out of his recluse. Draco doesn't want her secret to be uncovered but Harry Sodding Potter won't stop poking his nose in her life. He is hell bent upon dating her. FemDraco and Scorpius. Powerful Harry Potter. Headmaster Harry Potter. HP/DM, ASP/SM, PAST DM/LV,
1. Chapter 1 A Soaked Glimpse

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. All the characters belong to JK Rowling and her associates

 ** _Chapter-1_**

 ** _A Soaked Glimpse_**

It's raining heavily, not that Harry is complaining but carrying groceries gets quite difficult, especially when he prefers doing it the muggle way. The weather was nice so he decided to walk to the store to purchase the groceries. He hadn't expected it to start raining cat and dogs. It's Christmas and the kids are having dinner with him and he volunteered to bring the groceries for his elves. Usually, he avoids going out but he wants to make it special for them.

Albus is bringing his girlfriend after dinner. Apparently, it's a surprise for everyone. He hasn't told even Ginny. Harry is the first one to know. Harry wonders why that is. As such, his kids are closer to him then Ginny which is understandable since Ginny is out of country for most of the year for her matches. They stay with him during holidays. Still it's quite fishy. Albus seemed really nervous when he told about it to Harry. Lily was grinning whereas James was just rolling his eyes affectionately. Both Lily and James made it clear that they won't judge Albus for the choice of his partner and it seemed that they already knew who it was.

It did nothing to reduce Albus's nervousness.

Harry smiles as he relives his son's red ears and nervous green eyes. He still has a couple of hours. Kids have gone to visit Molly so the elves have enough time. Harry stands under a shed and looks at the rain. It's beautiful and soothing.

His smile falls and jaw drops in shock when a familiar figure heads towards him. Her head is bowed and she is dressed in a red gown that accentuates her curves. Red danglers are donning her ears and even her nails are painted red. Her hair is as blonde and straight as it was in school.

Harry stares at Draco Malfoy-Nott. It's raining and she is soaked and Harry can't look away. She has a purse in her right hand and her left is in front of her eyes as she runs towards him. She has not seen him yet.

Last Harry heard of Draco was when she married Theodore Nott straight after graduating. Completely unlike what Harry had thought, she quit her studies and soon after she gave birth to a baby girl.

Harry hasn't dated since he divorced Ginny. Even when they were together, he lived as a recluse and didn't contact anyone unless absolutely necessary. As soon as Lily turned five, they filed for the divorce. He had thought that he was incapable of having a normal relationship. But now Harry can't look away from Draco. She is standing in front of him. Her hair is wet and water droplets are trickling down her cheeks. Her blank eyes are twin pools of molten silver.

"Fancy seeing you here Malfoy." Somehow Harry's mouth seems fit to engage the woman in small talk. She stands under the shed besides him and turns her unreadable eyes towards him once again. He doesn't get out of his house so he doesn't know if she lives somewhere nearby or not. She doesn't answer him.

"Malfoy." He murmurs and her lips tilt upwards in a small smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. A second passes and then another and then she averts her eyes before apparating, leaving a very startled and confused Harry Potter in her wake. He doesn't remember Malfoy being so stunning in school.

He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. It's been years since he felt something akin to this for anyone.

But she is married and it's wrong to think of her like that. He opens his eyes, look around and follows her example by apparating in front of his house. He has some baking to do.

He will bake for kids and have a nice dinner and not think about Draco Malfoy and her beautiful eyes.

XXXX

"Dad, I think that she is here." Albus's soft voice echoes in the silent room a second after the bell rings. Harry notices slight tremor in his voice and chooses to ignore it. He is slightly worried now. James wasn't this terrified while introducing Electra Zabini. But then Albus has always been the most sensitive amongst the three. The wizarding world doesn't exaggerate when it claims that Albus is his carbon copy. He doesn't like people prying in his matters and will tell Harry in his time.

So Harry simply hums and bites his tongue to stop the urge to just ask questions. James and Lily open their mouths and it's good that Albus's eyes are turned towards the entryway because Harry shakes his head. They shut their mouths and nod.

"Shall I go?" Harry asks gently. Albus looks at him and shakes his head.

"No. It's better that I do. She didn't want me to tell anyone. It's - it's rather complicated and I won't have forced her to let me tell you dad. She - I- she is in trouble." Albus says. His fists are clenched tightly and his eyes are so alarmed and terrified and pained that Harry blinks in surprise. Had it been Lily or James saying this, he would have assumed it to be something as simple as breaking their brooms. But Albus has never been dramatic and if he is this scared, then this girl must be in serious trouble.

Harry nods before murmuring, "Okay. How can I help her then and what is it?"

Albus shakes his head sadly and starts, "I can't tell you. She forbade me and I can't afford to loose her trust. I can't leave her alone. She has no-one except her mother and me. Do you understand dad? I can't let her down. If this doesn't go well - if even you can't help her, then no-one can. You are my last hope, She refuses to even talk to others. She won't speak to even headmaster Snape."

Harry takes a deep breath before looking towards James and Lily who are alarmed.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you." James says because he is the eldest and he has always been protective of his siblings.

"Because you can't help her and you can't rush her into things. She is scared and wary and I do not want to loose her. I love her." Albus says desperately, "This has to go well. I trust you dad. Even if you are a recluse, you have always been powerful and influential and - and just - please try to look beyond what you see on surface. She is really a very nice person."

Harry frowns. What's Albus on about.

"Don't worry. Bring her before she disappears."

Albus jumps up before hurrying towards the door.

"Do you know anything about all this?" Harry asks his kids.

They shake their heads before Lily answers, "We didn't otherwise we already would have asked you to help. He has been very secretive for the past few years and uses your cloak quite frequently."

He nods and places his index finger on his lips before pushing his chair gently. He takes his slippers off and tip toes towards the door and leans against the wall, trying to listen.

"- he will understand."

"He won't." The voice is soft but panicked, "We should - we should break it off. It's getting out of hand."

"Look. He told us a bit of his past. The people he lived with were horrid and he will understand. It's not my story to tell but they really were horrible to him. He is a good man and powerful enough to help us and - and your mother."

"He hates her Albus. He hates her and your siblings hate me and even the Weasleys hate us." The girl murmurs. Harry makes a face. He had thought that Ron and Hermione were above hating a child after everything they went through. He will have a word with them.

"No-one hates you all right. Not James or Lily or Weasleys and dad isn't a child. He will get over his animosity towards your mom. He will help. _Why don't you understand. I love you. I can't live without you. I can't let this happen right in front of my eyes. You are still in school._ "

Harry's heart clenches with an irrational jealousy. He wishes he had someone who loved him so much. Startled and beautiful silver eyes flicker in the forefront of his mind and he shakes his head. She is married and he has a kid to save.

 _You always have someone to save Potter._ The mocking voice in his head belongs to Malfoy. Harry shakes his head yet again to focus on present.

He clears his throat and reveals himself. The girl lowers her head very abruptly and he frowns in confusion. Albus's fingers are wrapped tightly around hers.

His son looks desperately at him. Harry places his index finger on his lips and Albus nods. Harry heads towards the trembling girl. She is blonde and has straight, waist-length hair.

When he is just a bit away from the couple, he murmurs, "Look at me."

His voice is gentle but she still flinches almost violently.

"He will understand. Half of the population hated him for having that scar on his face and the other half fawned over him. He is not like others. Talk to him. You have to talk to someone." Albus insists.

Harry shakes his head and Albus sighs heavily.

"Look at me. I am not afraid of scars and I certainly won't judge you for having them." He says.

"It's not about scars. I don't have scars." She says in a small voice and tries to take her hand back. Albus holds it tightly.

"I fought with Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. Nothing can terrify or surprise me. Please look at me. No-one will judge you for being different if that's what you are scared about." Harry whispers softly, trying to coax her.

At last her shoulders relax and she looks up very slowly. Harry prepares himself for the worst. But her eyes are closed and although she looks like Draco Malfoy, there is nothing strange about her. If Albus loves Malfoy's daughter, then it's fine by him. It's only fair, considering that he has managed to develop a sudden and annoying crush on the arrogant woman.

But then she opens her eyes and he freezes. They are red- they are not just red. They are Voldemort's eyes. But how is it even possible.

"I am Scorpia Malfoy." She says and Harry feels faint- not because she is different no- but because she has Voldemort's eyes and is Malfoy's daughter and Malfoy has been behaving weirdly ever since Voldemort died.

Suddenly, nothing makes sense.

Only a second has passed although it seems that several hours have elapsed. She is on the verge of fleeing away. She is only a child and from what Albus told him, she is in trouble and he saved the world once. He can save a child even if she has the eyes of the man he hated and killed.

Absently, he wonders who else made the connection before giving her his brightest smile.

"Come on in. I'll call the Weasleys over and we'll have Treacle tart and cakes and you'll finally understand that no-one hates you." He says and she gapes at him in shock.

He winks at her and turns around with a gentle, "By the way you have nice eyes. My son chose well."

He doesn't have to turn around to see that the soft gasp belongs to Scorpia. Maybe Hermione will make some sense out of this. He wonders why they never told him about this. He turns towards the fireplace and throws the floo powder in the fire.

He hears Lily's and James's dramatic gasps of surprise and feels proud of them. He hears Albus squeak when they tease him relentlessly. He was unable to get rid of Voldemort on time which cost people their loved ones. But atleast he raised his children well.

Now, how Ron and Hermione react to this news remains to be seen - especially Ron who really, really despised the Malfoys and probably still does and Ginny of course.

As he waits for Hermione to accept the call, he sighs and wonders why Malfoy always ends up being in trouble.

XXXX


	2. Chapter 2 A Little Reunion

_**Chapter-2**_

 _ **A Little Reunion**_

"Harry, is everything okay?" Hermione's concerned eyes regard him. Harry nods. It's been a long time since Riddle's reign ended and Harry still doesn't want to come out of his recluse. The way the wizarding world still works often boils his blood and makes it difficult to exist without voicing his opinions. If he returned, he will want to change things and people probably won't like that. They won't even accept that.

He looks silently at his best friend. Ron and Hermione are his oldest friends. He trusts them. He always has and he is confident that it's Scorpia's illusion that they detest her for something she can't change and shouldn't be expected to change.

"Mate. what's the matter?" Ron's brown eyes study him silently. It's been a while since they met. Harry takes a minute to think about what he is doing. Ron and Hermione bring memories with them, memories that he would rather not relive.

The wizarding world was horrible to slytherins after the final battle. Harry had only just graduated and he attended the trials and forced the wizengamot to pardon everyone who was less then twenty. They did. He stayed until Lily was born and then he left. Ginny wasn't happy with him and he wasn't happy to see the world return to their old hypocritical ways.

He could've become an auror but that won't have helped him achieve what he wanted to. Ministry would still run the way it used to. He didn't have the patience or the energy to even attempt to change things.

If Ron and Hermione really despise Scorpia and Malfoy, then he would just have to give them an earful. He would loose his oldest friends but he refuses to go against his principals. Albus loves Scorpia and loving someone isn't a crime.

"Harry what's the matter?" Hermione repeats and Harry backs off after a muttered, "Come over. We need to talk."

"Okay mate." Ron replies and a moment later, they are standing in front of him.

He directs them towards the fireplace. They take a complete minute to notice Scorpia and when they do, they freeze but it lasts only for a minute.

They turn to look at him. Harry studies them.

"She said that you hate her, that the entire Weasley family hates her and her mother." Harry gets straight to the point.

"See Hermione I told you. You should have spoken to her." Ron snaps at Hermione. Harry stares at him. His brown eyes are irritated as he regards an equally annoyed Hermione Granger.

"Rose and Hugo ordered us to stay away. They said that Scorpia was too nervous and already had a very difficult life and didn't need us complicating it any further." Hermione answers.

"What's going on?" Harry asks, attempting to interrupt them.

But they don't pay any attention. It's like old times.

"They are kids-"

"They are not kids and we have to respect their wishes. Did you see how terrified she was? Your people and their senseless prejudice. Why they would insult her for her eye color is beyond me."

"My people, Hermione. My people!" Ron is gaping at her and Harry is really at a loss.

Meanwhile, Ron continues, "I will have you know that none of the Weasleys or our extended family hate Scorpia or even Malfoy. We forgave her when Harry spoke to us about his reasons for speaking in her favor at the trials."

Hermione glares at him and he glares right back and Harry knows that they will keep on bickering if Harry doesn't speak out.

"Stop bickering. Christ! You haven't changed at all." Harry looks incredulously at both of them.

"Of course we don't hate her Harry. She is Hugo's and Rose's friend. They asked us to stay away and so we did." Ron answers. Hermione, however looks at Scorpia's head. She is staring at the table silently. Albus is talking to James and Lily.

Hermione has always been the most perceptive one and Harry is sure that she has made the connection.

"Did you make the connection?" He asks.

"Yes. They are Voldemort's eyes." Hermione whispers and Ron nods too.

They look at Harry.

"How is it possible Hermione?" He says.

"That's anyone's guess." She says.

Thoughtfully and slowly, she adds, "There is something wrong with the girl though and I always found Malfoy's abandoning her education odd too. She was ambitious and excellent at potions."

"I thought she would end up as a potions mistress Harry. I was totally stunned when she just left and married and that was that. We barely see her you know. She is there at the ministry balls with Nott and she smiles and all but it seems fake. She won't mock me, no matter how much I insult her and believe me, I tried."

That catches Harry's attention. His eyebrows rise in surprise before he asks, "Why would you do that?"

"She is so unlike the Draco Malfoy we studied with. Something doesn't seem right. I tried to provoke her on multiple occasions but she won't break and then she simply started avoiding us. She started behaving as if we didn't exist at all. So we backed off. Nott is a powerful man and we didn't want to mess with him. Hermione was still studying and I had just opened my academy. We couldn't risk it and you were already so depressed that you won't talk to anyone." Ron finishes. He is frowning.

"What's wrong? Why is she here?" Hermione asks.

"She is Albus's girlfriend. They were dating in secret."

Harry shuts his mouth and Ron rolls his eyes.

"What?" Harry asks with narrowed eyes.

"You have the perfect excuse to stalk her now, don't you?" Ron grumbles.

Harry stares at him.

"Yes Harry. You are going to start obsessing over Malfoy again, aren't you?" Hermione continues where her husband stops. She is irritated as well.

Harry stammers out a reply, "I wasn't obsessed-"

"Oh no. Let me rephrase it. It was a crush, not an obsession." Ron mutters, her eyes knowing and Harry shoots up, his cheeks warm.

"It wasn't. It-"

"Sit down Harry. You are scaring the kid." Hermione snaps, "You are going to obsess over her and we are going to help. It's okay. We understand. It must have been such a pain to stay away from her for complete seventeen years."

Harry stares at both of them while sitting back. He is truly at a loss. What are they on about. Okay, maybe he asks his elf and Albus about her sometimes. But he is certainly not obsessed. He didn't have any crush on her.

"I didn't have a crush on her." He says.

"I remember how you used to rant about her eyes and hair _all the time_." Ron points out and Harry opens his mouth to protest but Hermione doesn't let him speak.

"And then there was a time when you complimented her way of eating and walking." She says.

"She is married." He blurts out and looks at the fireplace. Okay maybe, he has had a tiny crush over her ever since Hogwarts and maybe he didn't pursue it because by the time everything settled, she was already engaged to Nott.

"You know what's odd?" Hermione asks absently, her eyes distant the way they got when she was trying to figure a puzzle out.

"Scorpia's age as recorded in the ministry records is sixteen but I don't think that's right. She must be James age. I am fairly certain that she was pregnant when she married. No-one remembers though. No-one cared much about that small detail." Hermione finishes.

Harry nods.

"And she hated Nott." Asks Ron. Harry nods again.

"Yes. I am confused too. It doesn't make sense." Harry says, "Albus said that she is in trouble and she doesn't want to talk about it. She is afraid of something."

"Okay. We'll leave then and we'll take James and Lily with us tonight. Talk to her and then tell us. We will figure something out." She says and Harry lets himself smile a little.

"You do realize that you'll have to return if you decide to help Malfoy get out of whatever trouble she has landed herself in _again."_ Ron teases him, his eyes sparkling mischievously, "Harry people are still terrified of you. But they like you and respect you as well. You should run for minister, you know."

"I won't. Now please leave so that I can talk to Scorpia."

"Think about it Harry." Hermione says and she is completely serious. Her thoughtful eyes are gazing at him and he can't help but wonder if he can do that. He shakes his head to get the thought out and averts his eyes. This is not the first time they are asking this of him.

"You are powerful and influential. You-"

Harry cuts Ron off with a forced, "Please leave me be. As far as I am concerned, your world can go to hell. I have had enough of it.

Hermione hugs him and Ron squeezes his shoulder before turning towards James and Lily. Harry's throat feels tight. He misses them as much.

A moment later they bid him goodbye and leave. He noticed them talking to Scorpia too. When Hermione hugged her, the kid's shoulders relaxed and her lips twitched in a very small smile.

Harry wonders what the matter really is. There is no dark lord and Lucius is anyway not dark now. He is running many orphanages and hospitals. He burned the manor down and built it from scratch. Harry has never been inside but it's rumored to be the most beautiful house in Britain. It's rumored to have innumerable windows and paid house elves. Harry doesn't understand why Scorpia and Malfoy are not happy. Nott was a git but he wasn't evil.

When Albus brings Scorpia over, she is calm and her eyes are blank. She is wearing a polite mask.

"Scorpia sit down." Harry murmurs and she obliges. He decides to leave the 'trouble' she is in for later. She is not ready to share anything yet. He decides to stick to mundane topics for now and smiles at them.

Albus smiles back. Scorpia doesn't.

"So how do you prefer your tea." He asks sweetly. She gapes at him. Albus grins. His fingers are still wrapped around Scorpia's.

Harry can't help but wonder if he would have had Malfoy as his partner too is the war hadn't thrown them on opposite sides. However, it's futile to even ponder over it. Malfoy is married and from what Ron said, she doesn't socialize. He will just help Scorpia and continue staying away from the wizarding world. It was that simple and there was no need to complicate it.

How could he have forgotten that nothing was simple with Malfoy.

XXXX


End file.
